X-ray tube holder



Nov. 7, 1933. M. MORRISON X-RAY TUBE HOLDER Filed Dec. 17, 1930 Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFiCE' X-RAY TUBE HOLDER Montford Morrison, Montclair, N. J., assignor to Westinghouse X-Ray Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application December 1'7, 1930 Serial No. 502,906

7' Claims. (Cl. 1250- -34) 0 type for supporting the tube in such a manner that the tube may readily perform all the various functions for which the same is designed, and at the same time protect the operator and patient by obviating the possibilities of accidentally contacting the high tension terminals of the tube.

As an illustration of the various forms my invention may take reference may be had to the accompanying drawing wherein I have shown two embodiments thereof;

Figure 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of my invention partly in section and showing anX-ray tube in outline;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my invention shown in Figure 1; V

Figure 3 is a part plan view taken on the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of a modification of my invention, and

Figure 5 is an end view in elevation of the modification shown in Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawing in detail I have shown a substantially cylindrical base member 2 of suitable insulating material, such as a phenolic condensation product, porcelain or any other material adapted for high voltage insulation. This base member is provided with a shoulder 3 projecting inwardly around'its interior periphery and a pair of spring contact terminals 4 and 5 are secured to this shoulder portion. A pair of arms 6 and '7 composed of the same insulating material as the base member 2, and constituting a part of the latter, extend angularly therefrom and one of the arms 6 is provided at its end with a threaded shell 8. A pair of insulated conductors 9 and 10 extend from this shell 8 through the interior of the arm 6 of the base member to the spring contact terminals 4 and 5 for the purpose of conducting current to the filament of the X-ray tube 11 in a manner to be hereinafter referred to.

The solid angularly extending arm 7 has affixed to its end a small hook 12 to which a high tension conductor 13 is connected and thus constitutes a strain insulator for the high tension conductor. The high tension conductor then extends from this hook 12 to the anode 14 of the X-ray tube 11. A collar 15 of the same insulating material as the base member 2, interconnects the angularly extending arms 6 and 7 of the base member near their ends for the purpose of strengthening the structure and serve ing as a guide for the tube.

This collar 15 is provided with an enlarged portion directly over the center of the base memher and an elongated opening 16 is made therein of sufiicient size to-permit the X-ray tube. to pass loosely therethrough to the .base member. A pair of laterally extending set screws 17- and 18 of suitable insulating material arefarranged to pass through threaded openings in the collar member 15 into the opening 16 and-contact the 7 sitioned to contact, upon rotation, a similar collar 22 secured to the collar 15. In this manner the two set screws 17 and 18 after having been once adjusted need not be further disturbed for the purposes of inserting or removing the tube from the holder. The hand operated set screw, due to its coarse thread and the cam' surfaced collars, need be given only one-half a turn which loosens the tube sufliciently to permit insertion or removal. 1 The X-ray tube 11', as shown and described in the aforementioned patent, is provided with two laterally projecting contact terminals 23 and 24 from which suitable conductors extend, interiorly of the tube, to the filament. In inserting the tube in my holder the hand set screw 19 is first unloosened or backed out of the opening 16 and the end having these projecting terminals (which incidentally is the radiating end) is passed through the elongated opening 16 to the base member 2 and is thus housed or completely surrounded by the latter. ing the terminals 4 and 5 is given a slight rotary movement which causes the spring clip of the terminals to firmly secure the tube and establish a good electrical contact with the terminals 23 and 24 of the X-ray tube.

The tube upon contact--;-

The hand set screw 19 is again rotated slightly which then, together with the fixed set screws 17 and 18, maintains the X-ray tube 11 in an upright position. The high tension conductor 13 is then connected to the anode 14, after having been looped around the hook l2, and a socket of well known construction is secured to the threaded end 8 of the arm 6. The tube is then ready for operation in any of the various methods familiar in the art and the radiation of X-ray will pass through the outwardly flaring opening in the base member 2.

Referring now to the modifications or" my holder illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 I have dispensed with supporting the collar 15 from the arms 6 and '7 extending from the base member and instead I make the collar in elongated form as shown at.

25 and secure the same to the base member 2 independently of the arms 6 and '7. This form of the collar tapers towards its free end and is provided with openings 26 therein for radiating the heat from the X-ray tube 11. An opening similar to the opening 16 in the embodiment just described is provided and the set screws 1'"! and 18 and the hand operated set screw 19 are likewise arranged to maintain the tube upright. In

all other respects the remainder of the structure in this modification is identical with the previously described embodiment.

Although I have shown and described several embodiments of my invention I do not desire to be limited thereto as various other modifications of the same may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended cla' ns:

"What is claimed is:

1. In anX-ray tube supporting device, a base member provided with an opening extending therethrough', contact terminals disposed internally of said base member and engageable by the terminals of an X-ray tube for supporting one end of the latter and conducting electrical en ergy thereto, means disposed internally of said base member for conducting electrical energy to said contact terminals, a collar carried by said base member, and means carried by said collar for maintaining one end of an X-ray tube rigidly in said collar.

2. In an X-ray tube supporting device, abase member provided with an opening extending therethrough for housing the radiating end of an X-ray tube, contact terminals in said base member and engageable by the X-ray tube for supporting the latter and conducting electrical energy thereto, a collar disposed adjacent said base member, and means carried by said collar for securing the other end of an X-ray tube. V

3. In an X--ray tube supporting device, a base member provided with an opening extending therethrough for housing the radiating end 01 an X-ray tube, contact terminals in said base member and engageable by the X-ray tube for partially supporting the latter within the open ing in said base member and for conducting electrical energy thereto, a collar carried by said base member, and meansassociated with said collar and cooperating with said base member for supporting an X-ray tube.

4. In an X-ray tube supporting device, a substantially cylindrical base member provided with an opening extending therethrough for housing an X-ray tube, contact terminals carried by said basemember for supporting one end of the X-ray tube and for conducting electrical energy there to, a collar carried by said base member and provided with adjustable means for clamping the other end of the X-ray tube.

5. In an X-ray tube supporting device, a sub stantially cylindrical base member provided with an opening through one end of which the X-rays from an X-ray tube are adapted to radiate, contact terminals positioned internally of said base member and arranged to engage one end of the X-ray tube for supporting the same and conducting electrical energy thereto, means carried by said base member for conducting electrical energy to said contact terminals, and a collar carried by said base member provided with means disposed in axial alignment with the opening in said base member for supporting the other end of the X-ray tube.

6. In an X-ray tube supporting device a substantially cylindrical base member provided with an opening extending therethrough for receiving an X-ray tube at one end and through the other end of which the X-rays from the tube are arranged to radiate, contact terminals disposed 11g internally of said base member and adapted to engage the cathode end of the X-ray tube, means disposed internally of said base member for conducting electrical energy from a suitable source to said terminals, and a collar carried by said base member provided with means disposed in axial alignment with the opening in said base member for supporting the anode end of the X-ray tube.

'7. In an X-ray tube supporting device, a substantially cylindrical base member provided with an opening extending therethrough, one end of said opening being arranged to receive one end of an X-ray tube and the other end of said opening being flared outwardly for the radiation of X-rays from the X-ray tube, a pair of spring contact terminals for engaging the tube to support the same and conduct electrical energy to the tube, conductors disposed internally of said base member for conducting electrical energy from a suitable source to said terminals, a collar i secured to said base member'and provided with an opening adapted to receive the other end of the tube and adjustable means for securing the end of the tube to said collar.

' MONTFORD MORRISON. 

